Written by Paul Vettise
Ballarat conditioner Matt Cumani will be bidding for a double over contrasting distances when he launches a dual attack on the time-honoured Listed VRC St Leger at Flemington.
Cumani produced Khoekhoe (Turffontein) to win last Saturday’s rich Showdown sprint at Caulfield, banking the thick end of the $855,000 stake, and now has his sights set on one of Australia’s oldest staying features.
He shares in the ownership of Khoekhoe, as he does in Saturday’s St Leger contender Sign Seal Deliver (Dundeel {NZ}), who will be joined in the 2800 metre staying test by barnmate Tarn’s Prince (Unencumbered).
Craig Rounsefell (right)
Boomer Bloodstock principal Craig Rounsefell is a central figure in both horses as he was involved in the purchase of Sign Seal Deliver and also bought Tarn’s Prince with his father John a member of the ownership syndicate.
Sign Seal Deliver is also part-owned by Cumani’s father Luca, an international Group 1-winning trainer who retired in 2018, and was secured with Rounsefell out of Goodwood Farm’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000.
Luca Cumani | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
Last-start winner
Spelled after an unplaced run in the G1 VRC Derby, the gelding has quickly come to form this preparation over middle distances and was runner-up two starts back before he broke his maiden at Sale.
“He’s a real staying type by Dundeel out of a Pakenham Cup winner and last preparation he wasn’t quite ready for the Derby on a heavy track, but this prep he has been progressing really nicely,” Cumani said.
“He’s certainly very fit and well. He’s a really gorgeous horse and a bit bigger and more solid than a lot of the Dundeels that I’ve seen.”
Sign Seal Deliver as a yearling
Sign Seal Deliver boasts a pedigree to give confidence to his 2800 metre prospects as his dam Vivid Vixen (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) also won the Listed Centaurea S. over a middle distance and her dam is a sister to the former champion Hong Kong stayer Super Kid (NZ) (Gaius {Ire}).
Cumani said his parents Luca and Sara and sister Francesca were all involved in buying Sign Seal Deliver at the Gold Coast with Rounsefell.
"My sister and mother would go off in one direction, my father and I in another and we had Boomer as well," Cumani said. "It worked well and we covered all the horses and this was the one everyone liked.
"It worked well and we covered all the horses and this was the one everyone liked.” – Matt Cumani
“I use Boomer a fair bit and he tempers a bit my urges to buy European-type horses. I tend to focus a lot on their walk and love a big, loping athletic style. I stand by it, but Boomer has helped me buy a few very good horses that I wouldn’t have looked at otherwise.
“He’s been good at helping me buy more sprinters and that method of buying works. Sign Seal Deliver was a team effort and Boomer gave him his seal of approval.
“My old man loved him as well and my mother and sister spotted him and put him on the list. He was a stand-out though, just a lovely horse.”
Tarn’s Prince as a yearling
Tarn’s Prince was bought out of Three Bridges Thoroughbreds’ draft at the Gold Coast for $80,000 and is a son of Princess Wiltons (Fastnet Rock), who was successful twice.
She is out of a half-sister to the G2 Silver Shadow S. winner Kativa (Zeditave) and the family of the G2 Pago Pago S. winner Deferential (Royal Academy {USA}).
Galilee eye-catcher
He has won two of his six starts and last time out came from the tail of the field to finish fifth in the Listed Galilee Series Final.
“He’s quite a big horse and not pretty though, he’s a bit plain. He certainly takes after his dam’s side a bit more and very Fastnet Rock,” Cumani said.
“He’s not an impressive-looking horse, but he is an impressive runner. Certainly on his gallops at home he trains a little like a sprinter-miler and he’s got enough speed to work really well with faster horses.
“It’s pretty clear from his races that he’s got plenty of stamina and that makes for an interesting horse over 2800 metres. A horse with plenty of stamina and a little bit of speed can be devastating at that distance.”
